The Distraction Index publishes a frozen, immutable weekly record of U.S. political events scored on two independent axes:
🔴 A-Score: Constitutional damage (governance harm, reversibility, precedent)
🟠 B-Score: Distraction/Hype (media amplification, strategic manipulation)
When damage is high but coverage is low, that's a red flag.
59+ weeks of data · 1,500+ scored events · 210+ smokescreen pairs detected
Independent · Ad-free · Open source
Created by @sgharlow
| Website | https://distractionindex.org |
| GitHub | https://github.com/sgharlow/distraction |
| Methodology | https://distractionindex.org/methodology |
| Weekly Report | https://distractionindex.org/week/current |
Event spotlight: "SAVE America Act - Election Administration Changes"
Constitutional damage: 80.8/100
Distraction score: 36.3/100
Getting attention, but is it the right kind?
https://distractionindex.org/event/087acadb-0730-44a4-bc79-9b75b5e189c9
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
The Distraction Index tracks 15+ events per week, scoring each for constitutional damage AND media distraction.
60+ weeks of data. 1,500+ scored events. Open source. No ads.
Built because democracy needs data, not just opinions.
https://distractionindex.org
Subscribe: https://distractionindex.substack.com
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
Week of 2026-03-15 by the numbers:
13 political events tracked
Avg. constitutional damage: 23/100
Avg. distraction score: 40/100
1 high-damage events
8 high-distraction events
Data doesn't lie. https://distractionindex.org/week/2026-03-15
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
Smokescreen alert:
While "US-Iran Military Conflict Escalates" dominated headlines (distraction: 92.8/100)...
"SAVE America Act - Election Administration Changes" flew under the radar (damage: 80.8/100, coverage: 36.3/100).
This is the pattern. https://distractionindex.org/smokescreen
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
The Distraction Index tracks 13+ events per week, scoring each for constitutional damage AND media distraction.
59 weeks of data. 1,500+ scored events. Open source. No ads.
Built because democracy needs data, not just opinions.
https://distractionindex.org
https://distractionindex.org/methodology
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
Event spotlight: "SAVE America Act - Election Administration Changes"
Constitutional damage: 80.8/100
Distraction score: 36.3/100
Getting attention, but is it the right kind?
https://distractionindex.org/event/087acadb-0730-44a4-bc79-9b75b5e189c9
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
1 events scored as high constitutional damage this week.
- SAVE America Act - Election Administration Changes (80.8/100)
These are the events that matter most — and they're often the ones getting the least coverage.
https://distractionindex.org/week/2026-03-15
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
Every week, the Distraction Index scores political events on two axes:
1. How much constitutional damage they cause
2. How much they serve as distractions
When damage is high but coverage is low, that's a red flag.
https://distractionindex.org/undercovered
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
Tracking: energy_policy, environmental, California
"Trump Administration Orders Restart of California Oil Pipeline" scored 22.7/100 for constitutional damage this week.
The Distraction Index monitors 12+ events weekly across dozens of policy areas.
https://distractionindex.org/week/2026-03-15
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
The Distraction Index tracks 12+ events per week, scoring each for constitutional damage AND media distraction.
59 weeks of data. 1,500+ scored events. Open source. No ads.
Built because democracy needs data, not just opinions.
https://distractionindex.org
https://distractionindex.org/methodology
#DistractionIndex #Democracy #ConstitutionalRights #CivicTech
